1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of windows and, more particularly, to an adjustable hub assembly for use in adjustably mounting muntins across a window pane.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Window arrangements commonly found in the construction industry are generally formed from one or more panes of glass mounted in a fixed frame or window sash. When more than one pane of glass is utilized, the panes are generally spaced a certain distance to enhance the thermal insulation properties of the window. For instance, it is common to both evacuate the zone between the panes of glass or fill the zone with an inert gas to increase the R-value of the overall window arrangement.
Regardless of whether a single or multiple panes of glass are utilized, it is sometimes desired to make the window appear as if constructed of a plurality of panes mounted next to one another. Obviously, utilizing a plurality of panes in this manner would achieve this effect. However, it has become much more commonplace to incorporate the use of a window grid that is mounted adjacent a pane of glass or between two panes to provide the appearance of a sectional window arrangement. Known window grid arrangements are typically pre-formed into a predetermined lattice arrangement including strips installed adjacent a window pane with the ends of the various lattice strips being attached to the window frame or sash. These types of arrangements can be very economical to produce and can be individually manufactured for varying size windows, including those exhibiting square, rectangular and arcuate configurations. However, such known arrangements suffer from the drawback that the lattice strips are arranged at predetermined, fixed angles that cannot be adjusted.
It is also known to form a window grid by providing a central hub to which are attached individual muntins that function to make the window appear as if formed from a plurality of panes in a manner directly corresponding to the lattice strips as described above. With such an arrangement, the hub is formed separate from the muntins and incorporates carrier members that are adapted to slidably receive the muntins which are sized depending upon the particular application. Typically, these carrier members are either formed integral with the hub or secured in a stationary position such that the manner in which the window appears to be divided is predetermined by the design of the hub selected for use. For example, when utilized in connection with a semi-circular window, the carrier members are typically arranged at 30.degree. or 45.degree. increments. The main drawback of such an arrangement is in its versatility, i.e., only a single window appearance can be achieved with any given hub design and therefore at least a reasonable number of differently configured hubs must be produced to vary window aesthetics.
In an attempt to address this known problem, it has been proposed in the art to provide a muntin hub that includes a plurality of carrier members, with at least one of the carrier members being rotatable about an axis so as to enable relative angular positioning of the carrier members and, commensurately, the window muntins. Although these proposed arrangements represent some additional versatility, the number of carrier members utilized is limited by the permissible thickness of the overall hub. Typically, only two relatively movable carrier members are provided on a single hub. Therefore, in order to maintain symmetry of the overall muntin arrangement, the ability to actually vary the manner in which the window appears to be divided into multiple panes is also limited. Furthermore, these known arrangements are specifically adapted for use in particular types of windows, with either the hubs being mandatorily positioned within the confines of the window frame or directly secured to the frame.
Based on the above, there exists a need in the art for a hub assembly for window muntins that can provide greater versatility in the number and positioning of muntin carrier members associated therewith, as well as the types of window styles to which the hub assembly can be applied.